Post Nubes Lux
by Etirdoyn
Summary: He paused, staring at where he presumed his hands to be and whispered one of the few spells that Jo had learnt to do wandlessly. " Lumos ." The next moment Haruto was hissing " Nox! " when the tip of his right index finger lit up brightly and left him blinking away light spots from his vision. 'I have it still,' He thought, 'I still have magic' [OC Self-Insert]


**_Out of Darkness, Light._**

 **I - Academy Daze**

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 _Joanna Grey,_ Haruto tested the familiar name, _No, Jo Harris. That's what she- what_ **_I_ ** _had been going by at the end._

"Haruto-kun?" he blinked away his thoughts, his awakened memories of a former life as a Ravenclaw, to look at the chūnin peering worriedly at him. "Are you having trouble accessing your chakra?"

"Ah," Haruto shook his head, the most recent memories- _Haruto, age seven, learning to access chakra for the first time_ \- coming forwards along with the conclusion- _chakra access unlocked previous memories_ . "I _think_ I got it."

The chūnin smiled, "Oh? Can you show me, Haruto-kun?"

He nodded, eyes closing as he reached for the odd feeling that was too controlled, too intricate with its pathways and pre-determined exit points, too _tame_ to be magic- he almost startled when he felt an all too familiar brush of magic when he reached for his not-magic but ignored it for something to look into later. The odd feeling- the _chakra_ came into his grasp in a twist of _will_ and _focus_ that he directed to his hands and _pushed_ out as they'd been told to.

"You did it, Haruto-kun!" the chūnin's voice had him opening his eyes instinctively and he caught sight of pale-blue _something_ covering his hands before his lack of focus made it dissipate. "You're the first non-clan child to get it!"

 _Adding 'non-clan' kind of takes away from it,_ Haruto mused as he smiled at the chūnin, chirping, "Thanks!...What do I do now?"

"I want you to try it again and hold it to the count of ten, alright?" the chūnin answered.

He obeyed and ten became fifteen on the try after which became twenty on the try following _that_ before the chūnin decided he was done and set him loose for lunch. Reaching for his chakra and bringing it to his hands became easier with each try, as if it were starting to memorize the path to his hands, as was _holding_ it but the continuous use left him tired- as if he had just finished running for a long time and was only now allowed to rest, added to that was a slightly cold, hollow-like feeling and hunger.

 _Which kind of explained why this was being done before lunch,_ Haruto thought as he snatched his bento and headed outside rather then take his lunch in the classroom. There was an older class doing taijutsu spars outside but it was rather contained to a single area so he just settled in the shade of a nearby tree rather then seek out another spot.

His lunch was eaten quickly and peacefully, nobody coming to bother him because Haruto had no friends as Haruto, like Jo, was amiable enough towards his classmates but, unlike the Ravenclaw, had made no attempt to befriend any of his year mates; partially because of child-born shyness (amplified given his orphan status) but mostly because he'd noticed that there were less and less students the further into the Academy's education they went. Students were either dropping out or being dropped from the Academy which meant, until he _knew_ that they- or he, if Haruto were to be completely fair- weren't going to just disappear at some point before graduation, he wasn't sure making friends was worth it.

 _My genin team,_ Haruto decided as he stood and headed back towards his class. _When- if-_ **when** _I get assigned to my genin team, I'll try making friends then- for now I'll just focus on graduating._

It wasn't until he was curled up in bed, hidden beneath his blankets due to sharing the room with other kids at the orphanage, that Haruto turned his mind back towards his magic. Ignoring his magic, his hope that he might be able to _use_ it was difficult but finally he let himself reach out hesitantly, half afraid he had been imagining the feeling, but his magic reached back for him in a way that chakra didn't, eager to be used in a way that had him pausing. Jo had recalled moments that, looking back on it after learning about being a witch, were born from accidental magic but Haruto couldn't recall any of that.

It might be that he was still young and his magic had yet to act up or his magic was more... _tame_ because Jo had gone through seven years of schooling plus the magic she learnt in adulthood. Or….it was something to do with chakra, that it's presence affected his magic in a way that he had no bursts of accidental magic before remembering.

 _A good thing,_ Haruto mused as he looked where he vaguely guessed his fingers were in the dark. _Given it might have caught me unwanted attention due to a new developing 'bloodline'. I'd rather not be 'encouraged' to continue my 'bloodline'._

 _But…_ He paused, staring at where he presumed his hands to be and whispered one of the few spells that Jo had learnt to do wandlessly. " _Lumos_." The next moment Haruto was hissing " _Nox!_ " when the tip of his right index finger lit up brightly and left him blinking away light spots from his vision.

 _I have it still,_ He thought, glee filling him even though his eyes were watering and he felt like a headache was approaching due to the suddenness of a bright light appearing. _I still have magic!_

* * *

The Academy days following were very much like the one Haruto learnt to access his chakra; conditioning in the morning followed by familiarizing themselves with their chakra (those who hadn't yet were still attempting to access their chakra) then lunch, after lunch they'd do some form of bookwork before working with weapons until they were let loose for the day.

Sunday, though, found Haruto at a rather large building with a sign reading _Konoha Toshokan_ by it's front door. The village's library was opened to the general public- there were somethings that had certain requirements to access but, generally, things with restricted access were located in the village's _archive_ library- so it was located at the center of the village like the hospital was, which meant that getting there took longer then getting to the Academy even if he took the majority of it at a jog and the dirt path from the Orphanage to the Academy at a run.

 _I'm here now, though._ Haruto thought as he breathed in twice through his nose before letting it out through his mouth, it made his exhales sound like a loud, gusty sigh but he figured it was better then straight out panting. Only once he got his breathing under control did he enter, flushing at the amused look the woman at the front desk sent him.

 _...I can probably find what I want by myself._ He decided, turning to walk further into the library rather then ask the woman. There were, actually, quite a few things Haruto wanted to look up and the first were what kind of trees that grew in Konohagakure.

Jo knew how to make a wand.

Granted, it was vague knowledge like how one learns to play an instrument without ever actually practicing- all theory and no practical experience. There, also, weren't any of the typical wand cores available but he- well, Jo- knew that he _could_ get around with things besides what Ollivanders offered to first years, it wasn't as if there were any laws _here_ about using blood to make a wand. Barring a wand, there were always other mediums for him to look into- he just would prefer a wand due to previous experience.

 _Trees of Konohagakure_ was, actually, less helpful then Haruto had original assumed. The book _had_ spoke of trees in the village but it could be summed up as the author being a fan of the Shodai with a detailed description of the Hashirama trees and how the first Hokage used them during his life. It wasn't until a Yamanaka took pity on him and handed him a book called _A Civilian's Guide To What Is Grown In Konohagakure_ that Haruto learnt more then just Hashirama trees and the various uses for it's wood.

 **Alder, Apple, Ash, Cedar, Cherry, Chestnut, Dogwood, Elm, Fir, Holly, Maple, Oak, Pine, Willow, Yew.** Haruto wrote down carefully. There were, he knew, likely some missing from his list due to both different names and because Jo had never memorized all the kinds of woods that were used to make wands- only her own, her friends and ones that stood out like 'dogwood' did.

The notebook- traded from one of his roommates in exchange for doing their chores for two weeks- was tucked away and the book returned before Haruto moved on to the next thing on his list _was_ to look for a bestiary but, after a moment, decided to hold off on that incase it were covered in class. Thus, the next thing he looked for was cultural differences between the nations because he _had_ to know if there was anything any _where_ that hinted at magic or English.

Haruto went through several books, reading until things started getting mixed up in his head and writing seemed to dance upon the page- danced on in his mind when he shut the book and closed his eyes against hands that tried to rubbed at them. There were aspects that were familiar, from Kaze no Kuni's habit of siesta to how many countries celebrated _christmas_ of all things, but it was a cold comfort given how _foreign_ everything _else_ was to what Jo recalled. From fashion and technology to food and entertainment, things were so _different_ that he felt keenly that he was on a completely different world then Earth.

That's to say nothing about the views on killing, war and child soldiers here.

All orphans, when they reach admissions age, are automatically applied to the Academy to learn how to be a ninja - those whom fail the physical or flunk out before the final year a shunted off to other, civilian schools. Meanwhile the ones who _do_ make it to graduation yet didn't manage to make it onto a genin team with a jōnin-sensei are drafted into service in divisions such as Career Genin, Research and Development, Intelligence, Medical or such things. Of course those shuffled into those spots can climb ranks also, even Career Genin can petition to take the Chūnin Exams if they wish to.

It was a good system overall and is a great help to make sure that orphans don't wind up reaching their majority with absolutely no means to take care of themselves, but still - _child soldiers_.

Haruto...kind of wished that he never regained Jo's memories, for all that magic might be useful in the future, he really wished that he could regain the same _excitement_ he had over training to become a ninja. Then there was the presence of magic _itself_ that was problematic; he trusted the Hokage and the other people in charge of the village, less now that he had a different perspective on the Academy, but he was also acutely aware of how valuable kekkai genkai were. And there's no one in the orphanage who hasn't heard a whispered horror story of students whom developed _odd_ abilities being snatched up - some say by Orochimaru, others say that the Council have a special program for new bloodlines with no clans to protect them - and never heard from again.

No one is going to go looking for one more missing orphan - not when it's likely that they simply ran away.

 _Unless I become visible enough - famous enough - or important enough to be noticed missing,_ Haruto mused. He was unable to take those tales as completely false, not when there was a noticeable amount of orphans missing; the adults may wave it off as runaways whom formed a gang and dragged new members in to join, but there were a few missing kids whom he had known, if not _well_ then enough to be aware that each had dreams that couldn't be accomplished by running away. _I can't risk letting anyone know about my magic._

Then he thought about graduating and being assigned a genin team and a jōnin-sensei, about long-term missions that'd keep them in close contact and dangerous ones that would make him use _everything_ available to survive and winced.

 _I can't just quit the Academy_ , he thought.

Technically, quitting the Academy wasn't illegal - there are some people who just can't handle being a ninja or even the _thought_ of it once the teachers and lessons start chipping away at the naïve ideal of what a ninja _is_ \- but it's kind of a social stigma to do so. Many viewed being a ninja as a noble thing, saw ninja as protecting the village, and to have a child whom had the potential to be a ninja but _choose_ not to? It was shameful.

Of course there was nothing shameful if the _Academy_ decided you weren't cut out to be a ninja and dropped you, no that was just shrugged off as not everyone can be ninja - they were a completely different breed of humans, after all. Haruto huffed a sigh as he placed that last book - _So You Wish To Visit Kaze no Kuni?_ \- back where he'd gotten it, deciding that he deserved some comfort food if he were going to have to deal with the mess that was now his life.

He left the library to went at a trot to the market district.

The orphanage didn't provide them with money to buy things, everything they _needed_ was provided for them after all, but it was an unspoken rule that the people whom worked in the market district would pay you a bit of ryō to do small tasks - such as small deliveries to or help clean. As a whole, people didn't really want to see or think about orphans - didn't want to spend time of their busy daily lives to think of such tragedies - but they did enjoy the good reputation that they gained from helping _one of poor parentless kids_.

Granted, some of the people _were_ genuinely good people - like those who ran that one ramen shop that let the blond everyone _hated_ help out for free meals - but the majority cared about their reputation and how it affected their business.

 _Which is why none of those 'decent folk' will help the blond,_ Haruto thought darkly, _too much risk in a dip in business for helping the kid everyone hated._ For a moment, he pondered on that but then he arrived at a bustling market district and filed the thought away as the boy's parents being traitors and everyone hating him by association to focus on working his way through the crowd to _Saitama,_ a fabric store whose owner thought him as 'sweet' and tended to pay more then usual for his assistance.

Saitama Natsu, the owner's grandson whom worked the counter, glanced at him as he entered before calling out, "Obāsan! Your _Haru-chan_ is here again!"

Haruto pulled a face at the nickname and Natsu smirked at him as a girlish squeal came from the back room, "Haru-chan!? Give me a moment- I'll be right there!" the older woman called out, and shuffling could be heard before she called once more, "Did you eat all the snacks I made, Tsu-kun!? I can't find them!"

"I didn't!" the teen denied, looking long-suffering at his own nickname. "I put them in the oven to keep warm!" Then, turning his attention to Haruto, asked, "So, how long are you going to be mooching?"

"I'm not mooching," Haruto defended, "I do things!"

Natsu raised a brow, "Proportional to the amount Obāsan feeds _and_ pays you?" He flushed and the teen nodded, "So my question remains."

"I'll pay back what I owe when I become a ninja," Haruto said.

"And if you _don't_ become a ninja?" the teen pressed.

 _I'll use magic,_ he thought but said, "I'll think of something _if_ I am dropped - but I _will_ pay you guys back."

"Oh, there's no need for that, Haru-chan." Saitama Nana beamed at him as she entered the room with a tray of _senbei_. "Tsu-kun is just worrying about money since there's a rumor going around that Kaminari no Kuni will be abolishing all current trade agreements with Hi no Kuni. Apparently Kumo's held a grudge since that incident with the Hyūga four years ago and has finally managed to convince their Daimyō to cut off trade with Hi no Kuni in retaliation - or so the rumors say. Senbei?"

Haruto blinked at the sudden topic change but took a rice cracker and bit a piece, grabbing three more when urged to though his mind was more focused on the rumor. " _Could_ it be true? And why is trade with Kaminari no Kuni important?"

"It's important to _you_ specifically because a fifth of the metal the village uses to make ninja tools like kunai are mined there, which means that your ninja toys' cost will be hiking up real soon." Natsu answered, emphasizing the 'you' with a jab in his direction. "For _us_ , though, a full _third_ of the cotton we use to make our fabrics are grown in Kaminari no Kuni." The teen scowled at the woman, "Which means we _have_ to pay attention to the money we use."

Nana waved him off, "Piffle, it's just rumors. What is you called it? All hot air and no substance?"

" _Obāsan this is serious-!_ " Natsu hissed.

"Anyways, Haru-chan," she cut the teen off, bustling about until she grabbed three medium-sized boxes and offered them to him, "I've got three deliveries for you today, I've marked on the boxes where they need to go already. Two hundred ryō for the deliveries - oh and let me bag a few of these to take with you!"

Haruto waited until the woman had bustled away before asking, "How likely is it that the rumors are true?"

"Very." Natsu said grimly as he stuffed the boxes into the book bag he'd brought with him (mindful of his notebook and writing supplies), taking note of the places - _Toyama, Shiga, Haruno_ \- listed as he did so. "Kumo never really dropped the whole Hyūga Affair, they're pissed they didn't get their hands on the Byakugan, so it's likely that they'd cut off trade - if they can't attack Konoha directly, they could still inconvenience us."

He mused on that - while he may not knowing much about the incident, Jo was intimately familiar with people holding grudges so the entire thing seemed more likely. "What other important things do we get from Kaminari?"

The teen seemed startled for a moment but answered, seeming pleased that _someone_ was taking the situation seriously. "Dairy and meat but Hi no Kuni is bountiful enough on it's own that we'd only really be missing the luxury brands like the _Stormy_ brand line. We get half our tobacco from them which will make the Sarutobi clan unhappy and everyone hates an unhappy Hokage."

"We also," Natsu said darkly, "Get caffeine from Kaminari which Hikari-chan says is a major ingredient in those soldier pills that the ninja use."

 _That...that's very bad,_ he winced. _Everyone_ knew about soldier pills, an invention of Tsunade-sama's during the end of the Second Shinobi War, and how vital they had been during the Third Shinobi War in ensuring a Konoha victory by giving the fighting ninja the extra boost they _needed_.

He didn't get the chance to comment because Nana had returned, carrying a baggie that evidently had more then just a 'few' senbei inside. "Here you go~!" She sang, handing over the bag then pushing two 100 bills of ryō into his hand. "I'll have none of your 'paying after the job is done' business, Haru-chan! I know you'll do as promised and I'm sure you can make better use of your time then coming back just for payment. Now, shoo!"

Haruto left the store obediently, thinking worriedly about the potential consequences of the - possible- loss of trade as he back tracked a bit to reach _Toyama_. He didn't speak to the worker there, though he accepted the 50 ryō coin with a brief nod of thanks before trotting deeper into the market district towards _Shiga_. The girl working at _Shiga_ only paid him two 10 ryō coins but _did_ pass on that she'd heard from her cousin - who worked at the capital as a servant in the Daimyō's house - that there _had_ been some missives from Kaminari no Kuni that the Daimyō had been displeased about.

Then he was trotting off to the Haruno clothing shop at the far end of the district, deciding if he failed at becoming a ninja then he could always be a delivery guy. Or information broker with how much gossip people seemed to readily tell him.

 _Or a witch doctor,_ he mused as he entered the Haruno's store. He'd passed by the building plenty of times before but had never been inside, the clothes that were made and sold here were far too _fine_ for an orphan like _him_ to own - there's no way he could save up the money to buy something here, and if he _did_ then it'd likely be stolen and sold off the minute he turned his back.

Haruto was more then a bit startled to see the familiar face of his classmate - he certainly remembered her _pink_ hair - seated behind the counter. She blinked at him, "Konoha-kun?"

He made a face at the name.

Don't get him wrong, Haruto loved his village like any other citizen, he just hated how it emphasized how he was an orphan. _Konoha no Haruto_ was his full name, the one that the matron had given him after he'd arrived at the orphanage with no documentation to speak of and with no one the wiser as what his real name - and birthday - was or who his parents had been.

"Haruno-chan," he greeted politely, digging through his bag for the box. "It is good to see you well."

She nodded, "Um. You too? Why are you here? You-"

"Delivery," Haruto cut her off before she could mention how much he could _not_ afford the stuff here, moving to place the box on the counter. "From _Saitama_."

Her eyes lit up, "Kāchan has been waiting for this! Oh, um, am I supposed to pay you?"

"You don't _have_ to, I was paid by Saitama to deliver these," He shrugged, "But I do generally get a tip."

Haruno bit her lip, glanced at the register then back at him before nodding, "That's fair." She said before ruffling through the register and offering him a 100 ryō bill. "Here."

That...that was _way_ more then a 'tip'.

 _Not that **I** am going to be the one to tell her that, _Haruto decided, taking the bill with a thanks before leaving. He made a bee-line for a food stall selling _tsukemono_ , Jo had given him a brand new appreciation for pickled cucumbers.

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 **A/N:** **this story _does_ have it's own blog on tumblr (magic-kunai) but it's not really vital to check out? But if you want more information - like Jo's background - then it's the place to go.**

 **Otherwise, the important bit is this - Haruto's past life was a witch who, while living until 2017 and being a fan of anime, never came across _Naruto_. Meaning, he has _no_ idea what the plot or future will be like.**


End file.
